After The Final Battle
by Ashlyn di Angelo
Summary: A one-shot about Blood of Olympus, concerning the events after the last battle against Gaea and her allies.


Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Percy Jackson series, alas those belong to the amazing author, Rick Riordan.

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~Percy's POV~  
It was finally over, the last battle of the Giant War. We had won, though at a high cost. I am surrounded by fallen comrades, Greek and Roman a like. At the last second we had united and fought on the same side, with a shaky truce.

Now though neither side wants any more carnage, especially with Octavian gone. His body is somewhere among the others. Looking around for my friends to make sure they are okay, I see Hazel weeping over Frank's dead body and Leo with his arm around her, no doubt comforting her. Then there was Jason and Piper standing talking to Thalia. Panicking I soon realize I don't see two of the most important demigods.

Running, I start looking everywhere for them. Finally I see Annabeth attending to Malcolm, who has three long gashes across his face. Sighing in relief, but not stoping to talk I keep looking for the other demigod.

Not two seconds later, I see him, alone in a puddle of his own blood.

~Nico's POV~  
_Percy and Jason had just put Gaea back to sleep and all the monsters were retreating. I was releasing my hold on the undead and letting them go back to the Underworld. I had not sustained many wounds in the battle, just a few bruises and scratches. I had just started to move towards Percy and the others when I heard Clarisse shout my name._  
_Turning to look at her, I found myself face to face with the manticore, who thrust his tail spike in to my abdomen._

Now I lay on the ground, bleeding while the poison is coursing through my veins. I am aware of nothing but the excruciating pain. I can tell there is someone here with me, but I have no idea who it is, besides the assumption that it is Clarisse.

I am starting to go numb as I feel someone pick up my head and set it on their lap. Opening my eyes I see it is Percy, with tears in his eyes. Somehow I manage to give him a weak smile.

"You're going to be okay," Percy said with the ghost of a smile, grabbing something out of his pocket.

Not able to reply I just nod my head, knowing that I won't be, yet I can't bring myself to shake my head. Taking my mind off that I start wondering what is in the vial that Percy has. Then I realize as he sets it in my mouth and tilts my head up that it is nectar.

"Do you feel better?" Percy asks, while getting out a square of ambrosia.

Feeling the effects of the nectar I am able to croak out, "Yeah."

"Good, now have some of this," he says as he breaks off a piece of the ambrosia and puts it in my mouth.

After he finishes feeding me the square, I start to steel up the nerve to tell him my biggest secret. I had planned to never tell, but lying here knowing that this will be the last time I ever talk to him as a mortal, I know I must. Although I also know that it will be hard to get the words out, even though I have made my peace with it. So I clear my throat and say in my hoarse voice, "Percy I have something to tell you."

"What is it Nico?" he asks concerned

"I'm really going to miss you," I said and I would have groaned if I had the strength.

"What do you mean, you're fine."

"Percy, I'm the son of death, I know what it feels like."

"But you can't die."

"Sadly I can, and I don't want to without telling you that I-" I break off, coughing and feeling pain surge through my body once again, as I bring my hand down I see that it is covered in blood.

"What is Nico?" he asks after I finish.

"I-I love you!" I blurt out before I can stop myself.

"What do you mean?" he asks confused.

"I have had a crush on you since I was ten, when you saved me from the manticore," I say, and pausing to reflect on the irony of that, as I feel another wave of pain.

"B-but you hated me not long after that!"

"I was mad that you had broken your promise and I hated what I was feeling for you! Really it was just a convenient excuse."

"But Nico-"

"I know, I just wanted to tell you," I say cutting him off.

"It's just that-"

"Percy, really don't worry about it. I under-" I'm cut off of cutting him off by him kissing me.

After we separate I feel the most intense pain yet. "Nico you can't die because I need you," he says desperately.

I find the strength to smile, though it still pains me, "You'll be fine, you have Annabeth."

"But I won't have you."

"Tell you what, dig a pit and offer up some McDonalds, and we'll see what happens. Just know that I'll wait for you before I move on."

"Okay Ghost King."

"Bye Sea Prince." Before he can say anything back I start coughing and slump back, feeling my soul leave my body.

~Percy's POV~  
I sit there holding Nico's lifeless body for a few minutes, before others show up. Hazel falls to her knees, and I feel a pang of sympathy towards her as she has lost to of the people who are most important to her today. I am still trying to process what just happened. I mean, I kissed Nico, what about Annabeth? I know that my feelings had changed once we got out of Tartarus, but not to that extent.

I decide to let that subject go for now, and just grieve at having lost him. The irony is not lost upon me either, the manticore took away two people that I loved, but the one I loved most was taken away permanently.

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A/N: Sorry to those of you who read this when I put up the wrong version! And also sorry that I'm stuck with Life at Olympus High I'm trying to get back on track with that right now but I have no idea what I want to do with it at the moment.

Also comment telling me what you think of this story as I am thinking of maybe adding more, but if you think it should be left alone comment that as well.


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